This is a forest surrounding the holy mountain of Mount Meru. This might be located in the Himalayas but it’s invisible to everyone except Gods so you’ll never find it.

The Himmapan forest is notorious for its incredible range of fabulous mixed-up creatures such as the woman-bird Kinnari and the monkey-deer Panorn Maruek who frolic there freely and fabulously.

There have also been fleeting sightings of Nak Puksee (aka Nark Puggsee), a Naga-like snaky creature with ornithological accessories tacked on to a humanoid upper body. It was at one time a shape-changer, but apparently misbehaved in the guise of a monk and was punished by being cast into this bizarre form. It also has a cousin called Nak Puksin (aka Nark Puggsin), with more feathers and bigger wings. We have no idea why.

Meanwhile, there is the incredible flying monkey Pranorn Puksa (aka Pranorn Puggsa) – a half-monkey, half-bird combination. Actually, it’s not that incredible. Most monkeys in Thai mythology seem to be the flying sort. It’s the monkeys who don’t fly that people stare at.

What next, half-elephant, half-slug? There are times at Godchecker when we don’t know what we are coming from or going to.

Such is the iconic fame of these cryptozoological marvels that Thai artists have not only enthusiastically depicted them in art but also modified and remixed them to create new ones. These artistic hybrids blend in perfectly and seem to have been joyfully adopted into the mythological fold. Who is to say which legendary animals are real? It’s tricky doing DNA tests on a myth.

Himmapan is also notable for bearing fruit trees which can provide juices to cure any illness. We are hoping to bottle these and sell them to all mortals as soon as we can figure out how to sign the invisible Holy Export License. Only with Godchecker do you get such unsolicited bonuses

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Article last revised on May 05, 2019 by the Godchecker data dwarves.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders

References: Coming soon.

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